Total Education Bookshop

Future Education

Features

93 pages.

High quality softcover edition.

Original 1985 printing.

Prices and Discounts

Quantity

Price per Book

1–3

$27.50

4–8

$25.50

more than 8

$22.50

This companion volume to “Total Education: The Urgent Need”, also by Vijayadev Yogendra, was originally published in 1985. It presents the author’s educational ideals in the context of contemporary history.

Vijayadev Yogendra explains how the 20th century’s over-emphasis on material prosperity and individualism has been at the expense of personal and family life. Education has been re-shaped to meet the needs of industrial expansion and, in the process, the consideration of individual uniqueness and personal growth has been lost.

Not one to dwell on the past, Vijayadev Yogendra devotes much of this volume to a practical exposition of how education for the future must be re-oriented to counter these trends, to prepare children for a world of ever-hastening change, and to develop future citizens who have self-reliance, tolerance of their fellow man and the capacity to cope confidently with any life situation.

The author also presents a lucid analysis of how parental influences condition the child to re-live the life of his parents and places the onus on us, the parents, to change ourselves as the only way of breaking this cycle.

The book includes a foreword and an appendix by Dr Robert Muller, former Assistant secretary-General of the United Nations.

From the rear cover of “Future Education”

“Looking at the object of education it is apparent that an ideal education must mature each individual as an independent entity. Not only is it important that the individual stands on his own two feet, but it is essential that he is free to think about influences from others. He must be able to come to an independent judgement on all issues involving himself and fellow human beings.

“Further, the hallmark of good education is that the individual allows others to stand independent of himself. In fact, he assists them to do so.

“Therefore, such a process of education should produce individuals who are not only capable of logical thinking but also possess intuitive knowledge.

“And since intuitive knowledge comes from a deeper understanding and relies on a subconscious factor, we must plan the education of the future with this in mind.”

Vijayadev Yogendra

Excerpt from “Future Education”

The following Foreword from “Future Education” was written by Dr Robert Muller, who at the time of writing (1985) was Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations.

THIS REMARKABLE WRITING of Vijayadev Yogendra, “The Future Education”, reminded me of another striking book I read recently, “The Global Brain”, by Peter Russell. In it the scientist shows how the growth and increasing complexity of the human species has brought about an evolutionary transformation similar to earlier ones in the history of life on this planet, namely the birth of new global organs of perception, warning, adaptation and decision. Thus, through a mushrooming network of communications — travel, exchanges, news, education, international institutions, conferences, etc. — a global brain is being born to humanity.

I am witnessing this phenomenon in my work at the United Nations. Whenever I receive indications from various points of the globe that a number of people have the same concern or idea, I open a file because I know that these first flickers of the global brain indicate a new trend which will become a major concern within a few years.

This has happened with the concept of global education. It appeared here and there sporadically until it became a subject of active discussion in a growing number of countries. Although I am not an educator, I was asked by the international educational review “The New Era” in London, to write down my views on global education. The essay “The Need for Global Education” found its way around the world in various languages, especially through UNESCO documents. Then, later, I was asked by the same magazine to write down my response to the question: “What would you like to see taught to all children of the world if you were the World Education Minister?” So I wrote the World Core Curriculum which Vijayadev Yogendra kindly annexed to the present writing.

In his introduction, Vijayadev Yogendra says that he was touched to know that on the other side of the globe there are efforts being made on the need to change the education pattern of the world at large. I would like to say similarly that I am very happy that on the other side of the world from where I am, he is exerting his efforts and has written these remarkable thoughts on the future education. I am doubly happy, because he is an educational expert and I am not. The book speaks for itself. My copy of the manuscript is underlined enthusiastically and approvingly in many places, with a good number of comments in the margin. I have discussed it with several people and hope that it will be widely diffused in Australia and in other countries.

The book reminds me also of former Secretary-General U Thant, a teacher and headmaster from Burma, with whom I worked closely during the last years of his life. When we discussed the future of the world, he used to say to me: “Robert, our generation will not be able to bring about peace, justice and happiness to this world. Only the new generation can do it. And the only way is through a new education”. This is why he gave his wholehearted support to the new International Schools, proposed a United Nations University for Peace in the only country on Earth which has prohibited arms and the military by constitution: Costa Rica. The International Institute for Nuclear Physics in Trieste, an educational institution of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency, and the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden, established by the UN World Maritime Organization, are two further examples of new world institutions of learning.

May the work and writings of Vijayadev Yogendra inspire the great country of Australia, a country of immigration and a staunch supporter of the United Nations, to make a bold contribution to the new field of global education. Nothing would be more welcome in this Year of Grace 1985, the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations, the International Youth Year and the eve of the next Millennium, which is only fifteen years away. In particular, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Javier Perez de Cuellar has expressed the hope “that 1985 will witness the beginning of a serious educative effort to foster world-wide information about the United Nations” [1]

May God bless Vijayadev Yogendra’s work and actively diffuse his writings through the many veins and arteries of humanity’s new global brain.

Robert Muller
Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations.

[1] The United Nations at Forty. Statement by the Secretary General to the opening meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the Fortieth Anniversary of the United Nations in 1985.

About the Author

Vijayadev Yogendra (1930–2005), educationalist, philosopher, author and poet, had his early experience in India and neighbouring regions. He had rare exposure to great thinkers of both East and West through the focus provided by his widely revered father, Shri Yogendra, as well as through his own extensive travels.

He made a vigorous lifetime study of the world’s educational, philosophical and cultural traditions, and from this study refined new holistic programmes in education and health.

After settling in Australia in 1964, he began implementing practical measures to improve modern living. The Helen Vale Foundation was formed in 1970. Immediately it began training people with broad qualifications for a range of new community projects, including The School of Total Education, established in 1977.

During his lifetime, Vijayadev Yogendra’s tireless work in Australia quietly gained enormous community respect. It was based on one belief — that each individual has the capacity to rise above ignorance, selfishness and ill-health through his or her own efforts.